The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1887-03-19
.Br0aabrin'S NsT York Letter.

the head Of the Board of Health, and re-
tires in disgrace from the public service
If there is man in the State of New York
who rejolces in his downfall, guilty or not
guilty, I ain not that man. II innocent.
his persecution and disastrous surroundings
lave been most pitiful. If guilty, it only
goes 10 make the whole structure of society
more insecure and to shake our faith in
our common kind.
Five years ago and there was not man
in the State of New York who enjoyed a
prouder position or a greater degree of pub
lie confidence than he. For many years he
vas at the head of our National Guard. the
great central figure in all public cclebra-
tions anl parales. anil in the innermost
circles Of our most exclusive social life no
man was more welcome. Those who knew
him best regarded him as the very SOIL of
honor; his word would be taken by those
best acquainted with him as soon as an or
dinary mans bond. lie was appointed to
his present Office by a political party op-
posed to him, aE1 up to the time of his ac-
cusaion was supposed to have served the
city well. To accuse such man of such a
dastardly offence as bribery struck the en-
tire city like an electric shock. Some arm
ory sites had to be purchased and General
Shaler, by virtue of his position. was chair
man of the Armory Board; in fact, he was
the Armory Board himself, for whatever he
recommended as necessary for the good OF
the National Guard was acceded to, with
out question, by the other members. A
gentleman had piece of land for sale for
which he asked certain price. A middle
man appeared upon the scene who was sup
posed to have big pull with the Arrnor,
Board, and at his suggestion many thous-
and dollars were added to the original price
and it is now alleged that this money, of
which the city was plundered, was divided
between General Shaler and his friend; at
least it was shown on the trial that this
convenient friend paid off mortgage on
General Shaler's property in New Jersey
about that time that the armory sites were
paid for, and that this convenient person
had received no other consideration for the
sixteen thousand dollars paid but loye and
friendship. In this mercenary age there
are not many such friends, and whea IL
came to the trial, to save himself from
States Prison, this testified against General
Shaler Testimony of this kind is always
to be taken with allowance; but such rot.
temess was found prevailing every public
department that the people were shocked
with the revelation and even the semblance
of guilt on the part on the of a man
like General Shaler was the last feather
to break the camers back.
What record for a great city like New
York. Its former Mayor accused of ques.
tionable jobbcry with the notorious rascal
Ferdinand Ward; sheriff fugitive from
justice; almost the entire Board of Alder.
men with States Prison staring them in the
face and three secure behind prison bars
the Commissioner of Public Works driven
from the office he never should have held
by the edict of the Governor, and now
General Shaler driven out by the same au.
| thority. Where shall we look for conf.
dence? Where can we put our faith? The
proud old soldier, who for years has occu.
pied so large place in the public eye,
disappears from our daily life to be honored
no more among men. The journey be-
tween this terrible sentence and the grave
will be weary one for him. His great
name smirched and blackened; his honor,
won on the battle fields of his country.
| clouded; his hope gone. He has been ac-
! cuscd of crime, twice tried but never con.
Yic'e,l, but this condemnation by the Gov
ernor crushcS him forever. God pity him
in his dee? ailiciior, and as said at first,
If any rejoice in his downfall am not of
the number.
This week brought TO grief n couple of
swindlcrs, bold Brintons, who have been
prcu!ng on the Crcduity of their American
cousins, and who have succeeded in reliev-
ing them of sundry ducats and guiders, the
amount unknown. As everybody knows
there is scarcely a family in the United
States from Maine to California but has
definite information of some rich English
ancestor who died in Tmbuctoo or the
Kickeryboo Islands in the year 1901 leay-
ing several lacs Of rupees all of which were
deposited in the Bank of England drawing
seventeen per cent, and the principal and
interest in the Smith family alone amount
ed to about a thousand millions pounds.
while the money left by Sir Edward Lord.
high Admiral Brown in 1906, amounted TO
a thousand millions more. 1t vas big
thing for the Smiths and the Browns be.
cause they were all directly related and
could trace their relationship back to their
common ancestors. John Smith aud Sir
Edward Brown. Now l have personally
known that there was an immense fortune
awaiting NE in Europe and | have aston
ished my friends by my Indifference in not
going after it. The British-America Claim
Agency was established here almost year
ago by couple of distinguished looking
Brlntons, one Of whom | have seen drift
ing about the town for Years. lie looked
like an English nobeman and | must do
him the credit to say (swindler as he was)
a more genllemanly person l would not
wish to know. In dress he was the pink
Of neatness, and was to all intents and pur-
poses gentleman as gentleman go.
never knew him to do anything for living
and supposed he was a man of fortune.
Late last fall received a circular inform
ing me that there was wealth in store for
ne In ENGLAND u.hInh had hnan fnnlishI,